Creating A Simpler Life Blog

Vermont Wood Stove Refurbish

6/28/2017

Well, we have our mini homestead land. Our next big project will be to put a road in, but in the meantime we are preparing to build a garage with a livable loft to live in and use until we build our main house. Part of the plans and preparation for the garage construction is the materials. We really don't want to buy everything brand new. First of all, new costs money and doesn't necessarily mean that the product is better. Secondly, there are tons of materials and supplies out there that are used and still in perfect working order! No reason to fill the dumps with good stuff. We are happy to refurbish, reuse, and repurpose if it helps save the Earth, but even more importantly, saves us money!

This Vermont casting stove was being discarded by our new neighbor. Yup, it was going in the garbage! So the little window was cracked and it needed a good cleaning. "No biggie, we can fix that!" said my husband. And guess what? He did!

I didn't even tell you the best part yet: the stove came with 12 feet of stove pipe too! Livable garage loft, we are ready for you!

My husband simply went online, did a little research as far as what stove it is exactly - The Vermont Castings Resolute from 1979 - and purchased new glass for the door windows and a gasket kit. He purchased all the parts from Mountain View Hearth Products in Montana. He had to call them up and talk to them to make sure he was getting the right parts and they were super helpful. We highly recommend them if you need any stove parts!

Took some time for him to take it all apart, clean it, and put it back together but now it is like brand new! Total cost: less than $200. Savings: THOUSANDS!

A few other items we have collected for FREE so far:

2 interior doors with frames
Interior door knobs
1 small electric water heater

Still on the lookout for:

Kitchen cabinets, sink, etc.
Bathroom shower and sink

One of our favorite places to visit is Restore in Ronkonkoma. It is run by Habitat for Humanity and all proceeds go to building homes for people in need. They get donations of used or leftover building materials, supplies, flooring, cabinets, even furniture and appliances!

We never know what we will find when we visit but it is super fun to go! So if you have something to get rid of, or are looking for something particular, consider checking them out. It is worth it! Think of it like a thrift store for building and home needs!

Thanks for visiting!
Check out our other ways to save money and our future homestead plans!
Sincerely,

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DIY Hanging Bottle Opener

6/26/2017

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This was a coordinated effort between myself and my husband so we could surprise the Dad's in our family at our annual Father's Day barbecue!

This DIY hanging bottle opener was the perfect gift. It was pretty simple to make and we learned a few lessons along the way, but overall we are really happy with how they all turned out!

Supplies Needed:

Some scrap 1" x 4"wood cut approximately 16" long
Sandpaper
Stain (after making one painted, we recommend using stain only)
Bottle openers (affiliate link)
Pint mason jars
Hose clamp (about 3" diameter - measure jar!)
Screws (3 small)
Paper with printed out sayings and pictures (download a pdf of the ones I used here).
Chalk
Pencil
Paint Pens
Clear Spray Finish

Directions:

Sand wood lightly
Stain and let dry thoroughly
Print out saying and picture to fit in 4 x 8 area
Chalk the back side of the picture, then place it on the wood and trace the outline with pencil. See How to Rustic Sign Lettering Post here!
Paint the letters and pictures with black paint pen
Clear spray finish the entire piece
Screw on the bottle opener (affiliate link) near the top
Screw on the clamp and then add the jar and tighten. See Hanging Mason Jar Rack Post here!
Unit is best affixed securely to the wall, but you can drill holes and use some rope to hang it.

A link to download the pdf for all of the pictures seen above can be found below and at the bottom of the post!

link to beer sign printable

Thanks for visiting!
Check out all my other DIY ideas here on this site or on myPinterest Board!
Please follow me on social media as well :-)
Sincerely,

link to beer opener printables

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We Bought an ATV!

6/24/2017

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A while back I wrote about Looking for Land and Buying our Land in the Adirondack Mountains. With 30 acres purchased our next mini-goal was to get our hands on an ATV so we could get around on the land and well, have some fun!

After searching the internet high and low for a used ATV, we decided on what we really wanted in an ATV but we just couldn't find one in our price range to buy.

What we wanted...

4 wheel drive
Reverse
500 cc's or more
Two-up (two people)
A model of a dealer near to our land
We wanted to stay under 5,000 dollars

After deciding the bare minimum with respect to what we wanted, we continued to search to no avail. However, we spread the word and waited patiently for the right opportunity.

That opportunity finally came around in May when family friends decided to sell their ATV after they moved. They had mostly used it to plow their driveway but no longer needed it after they moved.

For us this meant that we got an ATV that was well maintained and not used and abused. Bonus for us!

What we got...

2004 Arctic Cat
500 cc's
A one seater - Easily upgradable to a 2-seater (affiliate link)
4 wheel drive
An engine that starts right up with only 1,300 miles on it!
A plow
A winch
A trailer hitch
And the best part: We spent less than half of our maximum!

This is the seat back we bought to make it a 2-up! Can't wait to put it on and try it :-)

Being an older model, it also has a bonus pull-start on it...just in case...though my husband states that he hopes he never needs to use it!

A quick wash, an oil change, new brake pads, a rear master cylinder, and an added back seat and its is P.E.R.F.E.C.T.

We couldn't be happier with our used ATV!

This was just a small step...
Our Next Big Step?
A road!

Thanks for visiting!
Read more about our Future Homesteading Dreams here!
Sincerely,

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Patriotic Crochet Place Setting

6/20/2017

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Fourth of July is fast approaching so why not celebrate your love for our country by setting your table with this simple crochet patriotic place setting?

This setting was a promise made to my cousin Peggy during last years annual Family Fourth of July Barbecue up at my parents place on Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks. I made a promise I would make her a set, and I kept it! Oh yeah, they were exactly what she wanted and she loved them!

Supplies:
Makes 4 Placemats and 4 Napkin Rings
*Affiliate links

114 oz skein of Loops & Threads 100% acrylic Snuggly Wuggly Big in white
4.5 mm crochet hook
Yarn needle
Scissors
*Patriotic Bandanas

Directions for Placemat:

Chain 55.
Row 1: sc into the second chain from hook and all the way across (54 total).
Row 2: hdc in first chain directly next to hook, skip one, then do one sc and one hdc in next. , skip 1, and sc and hdc in next, etc. Repeat that pattern across ending with one sc in the last stitch at the end of the row.
Rows 3 - 55: chain 1 and turn, hdc into first stitch, skip 1, then sc and hdc in next stitch, skip 1, etc. At the end of the row you will end with one sc. Repeat the pattern for 53 more rows (total of 54 rows of alternating sc, dc).
Row 56: chain 1, turn and sc across. Begin border.

Placemat Border:

With the yarn still attached, sc around the entire placement (so both ends will have 2 rows of sc, sides will have one). Be sure to do three sc in each corner. When you come to your original stitch, connect, and chain 1.
Do the crab stitch, also called a reverse single crochet (see how-to video below), around the entire placemat (one crab per stitch), working to the right.
Finish off and weave all loose ends.

Directions for Napkin Rings (4):

Chain 25.
Row 1: sc in second chain from hook and all the way to end (total 24).
Row 2: Chain 1 and turn, hdc in first stitch, skip 1, sc and hdc in next, skip 1, etc. End with a sc.
Row 3: Chain 1 and turn. Do hdc, skip 1, sc and hdc, skip one and repeat the sc and hdc in every other stitch across. End with a sc in the last stitch.
Row 4: Chain 1 and turn, sc across to end.
Row 5: Chain 1 and do crab stitch across working to the right.
Finish off.
Connect to opposite side and crab stitch across - be sure you are working the same side as the other crab stitch. Finish off and leave a tail.
Thread the tail on the needle and sew the two sides together.
Weave all loose ends.

Check out our other FREE placemat and napkin ring pattern here! See picture below.

Thanks for visiting!
Check out our other FREE crochet patterns available on this site and greats ideas and patterns on our Pinterest page at Crochet Only and Crochet for the Kids and Grandkids.
Sincerely,

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DIY Wooden Building Window Toppers

6/13/2017

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Once upon a time my mom spotted something similar to these at a craft fair. Of course she came to me and asked if I would be able to make something like that for her for Mothers Day. And... of course I said yes! That was several years ago and since then I have made many different 'building' window frame toppers (pictures below) and have had many inquiries into how exactly I make them. I will tell you this, they take time but when it comes to making them with love for my mom, well I can't put a price tag on that!

In case you're not sure what a window topper is, it is a wooden design that is about 3/4" wide and sits on top of the window frame as a decoration. It could also go on top of a door frame and look just as good!

***Great way to repurpose old pine shelving!

Supplies Needed:

Wood: One of my favorite things about this project? I don't buy any wood! To date all the wood has been repurposed from old 1" x 8" pine shelving. That really works out to .75" thick x 7.5" high)which to this day still amazes me how the lumber industry gets away with this). It is important to know the actual size so that any sketches you make are accurate!
Pencil (and a design)
Ruler
Scroll Saw
Sandpaper
Craft paints in various colors (affiliate link)
Paint brushes (affiliate link)
Artist Drawing Pens in Bold and Medium (affiliate link)
Scrap Book Stickers and other miniature accessories as needed (optional)
Paper and Printer for signs
Double stick foam mounting tape
And a little Creativity!!

Check out this video of my latest building (2/6/18) on YouTube:

Pictorial HOW TO of
Barber Shop & Ice Cream Parlor:

Sketch the design onto the wood.

Use a scroll saw to cut along the outer line.

Two buildings completely cut.

Sand the edges a little bit.

Paint the back and sides of the building in the base color. The base color will be the main color of the building.

After the back dries, turn them over and paint the base color in the sketched areas. It doesn't have to be perfect!

After the base color dries, use a ruler and drawing pens to draw in the sketched lines. Now you want to try to be perfect!

Paint in some of the trim colors next.

Then add the black lines....

Add in a few other colors...and I think you are getting the idea now!

And then do the final edging lines!

Next you use some markers with different tip sizes to add details like shading, etc. The 'shine' on the window is simply some white paint.

I made some signs using MS Word and made sure they were the exact size I wanted. I used a template for 4x6 because the signs are printed on photo paper that usually comes free when we buy our printer ink!

Cut them out one at a time.

I use double sided tape to adhere each sign to a little piece of cardboard so they are sturdier/stiffer.

Cardboard is 'stuck' to back of sign.

Add a few pieces of double sided foam tape so when you put it on the building it has a little 'pop' to it.

Then carefully place it on the building where you want it!

Some signs just get double sided tape and are placed directly onto the building. I put the tape on before I cut them out so that there is no overhang.

Place signs carefully because you really don't want to have to remove them!

These ice cream cones are scrapbook stickers. I am always looking for fun stickers on clearance!

Complete!

Houses over the window in my living room :-)

Here's a slide show of all the building window toppers I have made for my mom to date:

Thanks for visiting!
Please follow us on social medial:
Pinterest, Facebook, Google+ and or Instagram!
Sincerely,

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DIY: Insect Repellent Essential Oil Blend

6/10/2017

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This simple blend is perfect for your purse, the car, or as a favor at an outdoor party!

It's that time of year again when the little buggers come out to attack! Here is a more natural alternative to many of the store bought repellents. If you're not sure what essential oils are, they are basically natural oils usually made by distillation of specific parts of a plant (bark, leaves, stems, etc.). The resulting oil will have the fragrance and the useful properties of the plant it was extracted from.

Essential oils should not be taken internally. When applied to the skin they should generally be diluted. The recipe shown will make approximately 1 ounce at a 3% dilution.

Aside from the essential oils and witch hazel, you will also need a mini funnel and a one ounce amber colored glass spray bottle (affiliate link) to make this simple recipe.

Always be sure to shake the repellent well before using.
Test first on a small patch of skin to see if there is a reaction with any of the ingredients.
If any irritation occurs wash with soap and water immediately.
Avoid use near eyes and as with all insect repellents, avoid use when pregnant.
Repellent can be sprayed on skin and clothing (But remember there are oils in it!). Reapply as needed, or about every 3 hours, and enjoy keeping the bugs away!

Here is one of my favorite "go to" books about aromatherapy (affiliate link):

Please note that essential oils for home health DO NOT replace a doctor or modern day medicine. However, some can definitely be used to supplement, or, in the case of minor medical issues, be used instead of pharmaceuticals.

Always use common sense and seek the advice of a medical professional before making any major medical decisions.

Thanks for visiting!

Check our our other Essential Oil Remedies & Recipes and our Essential Oils Etc. Pinterest Board for other great uses!

Sincerely,

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Blog

Vermont Wood Stove Refurbish

DIY Hanging Bottle Opener

We Bought an ATV!

Patriotic Crochet Place Setting

DIY Wooden Building Window Toppers

DIY: Insect Repellent Essential Oil Blend

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